When my friend Mark told me he was taking his family to his local animal shelter to look for a dog to adopt, I asked what breed they were looking for. “It doesn’t matter,” he said, “as long as it’s good with the kids. Happy and playful. We’ll know the right dog when we see it.”
Later, after he got back from the shelter, I asked him how it went. He said he was amazed at the number of big, black dogs that were available for adoption. Walking past row after row of kennels, the family saw an array of black faces looking out at them. “It made me start to wonder if there was something wrong with them,” he told me. “Why are there so many large black dogs at the shelter?”
Though animal shelters generally don’t keep statistics on animals based on color, lots of shelter employees confirm that big black dogs are often overlooked by people looking to adopt. In fact, they’ve even coined a phrase to describe the situation, referred to as “black dog syndrome.”
Mark wonders if people shy away from black dogs because they think the dogs might be mean. My theory, though, is that it’s harder to get a read on a black dog’s personality—there’s less contrast between their dark eyes and dark face, so if you don’t know the dog well, you might have trouble seeing and understanding his expressions.
No matter what the reason, if you’re ready to adopt a shelter dog, overlooking large black dogs would be a mistake; you’ll probably miss out on some real gems. After all, there’s no evidence that fur color has anything to do with an animal’s attitude or behavior. And plenty of black-dog owners will testify that they’re often loaded with personality.
So what kind of dog did Mark’s family choose? A sweet, loving black lab they named Skipper. “She may be a black dog,” says Mark, “but she has a heart of gold.”
Recently, the New York Times reported that a psychology professor named Stanley Coren has discovered some fascinating things about dogs and intelligence.
Coren polled over 200 professional dog obedience judges, asking them to rank 110 dog breeds according to their intelligence. In general, he says, poodles, retrievers, Labradors and shepherds are the most intelligent dogs, able to learn as many as 250 words, signs and signals.
The smartest dogs, he says, will understand a new command in five repetitions or less, and will immediately obey commands 95% of the time. Here’s his list of the smartest dog breeds:
- Border Collie
- Poodle
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Doberman Pinscher
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Labrador Retriever
- Papillon
- Rottweiler
- Australian Cattle Dog
Before you rush out to buy one of these smart dogs, though, you should know that there are pros and cons to living with an intelligent canine. As Coren points out, sometimes these dogs are so smart that they learn to manipulate their owners and their environment to get whatever they want.
Does your dog think he’s the leader of the pack at your house? Ignoring commands? Pushing through doorways ahead of you? Trying to move you from your favorite resting spot? When it comes to behavior problems, he may be sending you hints that he thinks he’s the top dog, and you’re the underdog.
A dominant dog may not want to hurt anyone, but just wants to be in charge. And though this article refers to the dog as “he,” it could easily be “she.” It could be a big Labrador or a little Chihuahua. Gender and size have little to do with dominance in dogs.
Remember that dogs don’t necessarily think like you and I do. They operate on a system of social behavior inherited from their wild ancestors. This centuries-old system is what keeps order among the family, or the dog pack. Dogs crave the security of knowing where they stand in the pack’s ranking. Once they understand who is in charge, they may feel much more at ease.
Look for the following signs of dominant behavior:
- Preventing people from petting him on the top of his head.
- Growling or barking at you during play.
- Trying to mount or hump people. (Even female dogs may do this)
- Refusing to release a toy or bone when commanded.
- “Marking” (peeing on) your personal items.
- “Mouthing” (not necessarily biting, but placing his teeth on) you.
Trying to correct dominant behavior? An obedience course is the place to start. The obedience training should involve everyone in your family, at least to some degree; consistency is key when it comes to your dog’s discipline, so everyone needs to be on the same page.
In addition to obedience training, here are some ways you can use the language of the dog pack to reinforce the message of who is in charge:
- Does your dog have a favorite spot? A pet bed or a favorite chair? Stand or sit in that spot for a couple minutes, several times a week.
- Don’t pet the dog unless he does something praiseworthy.
- Before the dog’s feeding time, make sure he sees you eating first.
- Never let the dog get up on furniture without permission.
- Don’t let the dog sleep on your bed. If you want to let him sleep in your room, he should stay on the floor or in his own dog bed.
Most importantly, be consistent. Over time, your dog will get the message and will learn to enjoy your leadership, and you’ll enjoy your dog more, too.
Sure, there have been plenty of amazing scientific advances in veterinary medicine, but what may be one of the most exciting new treatments is actually thousands of years old.
Today, non-traditional medicine like acupuncture is becoming more popular than ever. Exactly how acupuncture works is uncertain, though clinical trials have actually shown its effectiveness. In fact, acupuncture has the most scientific support of any form of non-traditional healing methods.
Western doctors believe that acupuncture may help release natural chemicals that promote healing within the body or stimulate of neuromechanical mechanisms that diminish pain and promote healing. As developed by Chinese healers over the course of two and a half centuries, this healing art is based on a principle of restoring balance within the body.
In pets, acupuncture is often used for pain relief and to treat diseases of the liver, kidney, and skin. It may help older dogs feel and act many years younger. Acupuncture treatments can be used together with traditional approaches to healing such as physical therapy and medications.
Veterinary acupuncture may not be widely available, though more and more veterinarians are beginning to offer this type of non-traditional treatment within their practices. And if your pet is covered by a Pets Best insurance policy, benefits are available for acupuncture and other non-traditional treatments (check here for details).
Keep in mind that pet acupuncture isn’t a cure-all, but it’s another tool your vet can use to treat ailments and enhance the quality of your pet’s life.
So you and your beloved pooch are out for some fresh air and sunshine, trotting along a trail in the great outdoors. The dog is a few paces ahead (of course), and is busy smelling everything in sight.
Suddenly you hear a yelp of pain and surprise. You run to catch up with your pet and see the tail of a snake slithering into the brush. What should you do?
If you’re anything like me, the first thing you’ll do is start freaking out and shouting, thinking that your dog is about to die a painful death. Well hold on there, tiger. Settle down.
The fact is, most snakes in the U.S. are not poisonous. There are only four varieties, including rattlesnakes, cottonmouth moccasins, copperheads and coral snakes, that are venomous and pose an immediate threat to the dog. There are three ways to tell if the dog is in danger:
- Identify the snake—if you’re not a herpetologist (that’s a snake expert) you might need some help here. Catch and kill it if possible so you can bring it to the vet’s office for identification. If not, you should at least be prepared with a good description of it. Does it have identifying colors or patterns? A large, arrow-like shape to the head? Elliptical pupils (like a cat’s) or round ones?
- Check out the bite—poisonous snakes, which have fangs, will leave two prominent puncture marks, just like a vampire in a horror movie. The skin will react quickly with swelling, redness, and intense pain. Non-poisonous snakes have even rows of teeth and may leave a pattern that resembles a horseshoe.
- Watch the dog—they may exhibit symptoms such as panting, drooling and weakness. They might become extremely restless. Later, the dog could have other symptoms such as diarrhea, or they might collapse. Sometimes they will have seizures.
If you believe your pet has been bitten by a poisonous snake, try to keep them calm. Frantic movement or exercise will rush the poison through the dog’s system. Call your veterinarian immediately, they may be able to talk you through procedures for drawing out some of the venom and applying a tourniquet. Get your pet to a facility where they can get medical treatment ASAP.
Even if your dog was bitten by a common garden snake, you’ll want to have them treated; without the right antibiotics and treatment, the bite wound can become infected, so even non-venomous bites can be dangerous.
